The BOSS Network, headquartered in Chicago, is a women’s networking organization (the name stands for “Bringing Out Successful Sisters”) dedicated to empowering professional and entrepreneurial women while creating additional opportunities for their business growth.

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CAMEKA SMITH has always had a knack for getting people together; her career in event planning saw to that. Through The BOSS Network, Smith, 33, put those skills to work for a greater purpose. “Many women of color I knew had started or were starting their own businesses, and they were looking for quality networking — not only resources, but also to be inspired by other women and their journey to success,” she says. “I started a series of events, the ‘BOSS Series.’ Women instantly connected toi it, and I knew that the support needed to go beyond the events.”

The BOSS Network has thus expanded to become a full-scale social network for female professionals, mainly those of color, offering information, education and assorted business resources — and yes, stiil those storied networking events. “The BOSS Network is changing the way women as enterprises are viewed,” Smith asserts. “It’s becoming a resource for brands seeking female influencers as their target market.”

And how: In June 2011, for the second year running, The BOSS Network was named one of the top 10 entrepreneurial Web sites for women by Forbes — and in July, to celebrate The BOSS Network’s second anniversary, Smith is debuting a documentary, Behind the Business: A Real Look at Women in Leadership. Check out the trailer below, and have a look as well at Smith’s new mentoring site, ProjectBOSS.org. For Smith and her company, the encomiums — and the membership rolls — just keep piling up.